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No. 613,576. Patented Nov. I, |898. W. A. KIRBY.

COMBINED BOAT ANDl SLIED.

(Application filed Jan.- 13, 1898.) (N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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Patent'ed Nov. I, i898. W. A. KIRBY. COMBINED BUAT AND SLED.

. (Application med Jan. 13, '1898. (No Model.)

2 Shafts-Sheet 2.

NME

IVILLIAM A. KIRBY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COMBINED BOAT AND SLED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,57 6, dated November 1, 1898.

Application filed January 13, 1898. Serial No. 666,542. (No model.)

T all whom it' may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM A. KIRBY, a

I citizen of the United States, residing at New York, (Newdorp,) in the county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Boat and Sled; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a novel combined boat and sled.

In order that the purposes and advantages of my invention may be more readily apparent, it may be premised that `the speculation and experiment resulting` in the origination of this combined vehicle were induced by the practicalimpossibility of navigation in northern coun tries where the waterwaysare frozen over for a considerable period and where it is generally necessaryto cross stretches of ice and snow in order to make use of such portions of the waterway as remain open or unfrozen. Interior points of such countries as Alaska, for instance, are practically inaccessible from the coast by means of ordinary vehicles for the reason that neither the wastes of ice and snow nor the bodies of water are sufliciently continuous, but alternate with the seasons in a mannerto make necessary the alternate use of boats and sleds, which is impracticable. In order, therefore, to provide a combined boat and sled which may be propelled with equal facility through the water or over the wastes of ice and snow, I have `devised a novel form of boat provided along its bottom with longitudinally adjustable runners, which support the boat or vehicle to facilitate its transportation and propulsion over the ice and snow, and have invented novel propelling apparatus for propelling the vehicle through the water and over the ice and which is adapted to permit the direction of travel to be governed readily by the operator. In addition to these features the invention comprehends brakes of peculiar form designed to assist in the lguiding of the device as well as to prevent its slipping laterally when its direction of travel is suddenly altered; and it consists in various other novel details of construction and arrangement, all

of which Will be hereinafter described, and

succinctly pointed out in' all the appended.

claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure lis a side elevation of my combined boat and sled organized for use as a boat. Fig. 2 is a side elevation With the paddle-wheels and their connections removed andthe ice-wheels and their connections applied to reorganize the device for use as a sled. Fig. 3 is a top plan view, on a somewhatenlarged scale, of the rear end of Fig. 1. Fig. 41: is a similar view of the corresponding end of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a rear end elevation of the subject-matter of Fig. 4, and Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of the projections on the ice-wheels. Fig. 8 is a detail cross-section through the hull of the boat. Fig. 9 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, showing the ice-wheels and their operation and connection with the sled. Fig. 10 is an enlarged rear elevation of the same.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, l indicates the body of the vehicle or boat, which may be of any desired shape or size and which is preferably formed upon the lines of an ordinary batteau or hat-bottom boat and is provided with two or more longitudinally-extending equidistant partitions 2 of approximately the same height as the sides of the boat, which is covered by a deck 3, upon which is supported in the usual manner a cabin 1. The partitions 2 are designed to subdivide the boat into a number of watertight compartments to prevent its sinking in the event of a hole being stove in either side or the bottom of the boat-as, for instance,

by the projecting edges of the ice, as the device Will naturally be subjected to contact with ice iioes and packs.

' 5 indicates a bracket or Wheel-frame extending from the rear end of the boat and bolted or otherwise secured thereto and supporting at its rear extremity a j ournal-box '7, in which is journaled a Wheel-shaft 8, upon the opposite ends of which are keyed or otherwise secured paddle-wheels 9 of any usual or ordinary form, except that one of said Wheels is provided uponits inner face with a beveled gear-wheel l0, or said Wheel may be mounted upon the shaft, if desired. This gear-wheel meshes with a bevel-gear 13, carried at the extremity of the power-shaft 14, extending IOO horizontallyinto the cabin and geared by suitable mechanism to the engine 14. A rudder 15 is mounted at the stern of the boat in the usual manner, and the upper end of its post 16 is provided with a segmental rack 17, engaging a pinion 18, mounted upon a shaft 19, to which the steering-wheel 2O is keyed. This organization of parts comprehends the essential elements of the device when designed for use as a boat and is of ordinary construction, with the exception of the specific form of the boat and the manner of mounting and gearing the paddle-wheels to the operating mechanism; but I shall now proceed to a description of the appliances which are assembled in connection with the elements thus far described to permit the boat to be readily converted into a sled, which may be propelled over the ice and the snow intervening between the bodies of water.

2l and 22 indicate adjustable runnersup ports consisting of cross-beams 23 and 24, extending transversely above and below the body of the boat and having their opposite ends connected by vertical tie-rods 25, extending upon the outside of the hull and provided with nuts 2G, screwed upon their opposite ends, by means of which the cross-beams may be securely clamped in place or may be loosened when desired for the purpose of adjusting the runners longitudinally with respect to the boat or for removing them. This longitudinal adjustment is made necessary for the reason that the boat must be balanced in a manner to cause the proper weight to be imposed upon the ice-wheels, to be hereinafter described, in order that the proper resistance may be opposed to prevent their slipping. When, therefore,- the boat is laden, the runners may be adjusted to positions approximately near the ice-wheels; but in order that it may not be necessary to constantly shift the load to balance the boat I have devised this simple means for shifting the positions of the runners in order to properly balance the boat, notwithstanding the varying positions of the load as it is disposed from time to time.

27 indicates runners of any suitable size and shape, having upwardly-curved ends 29, which are securely bolted or otherwise fixed to the lower beams 24. To the rear ends of each of the runners 27 are pivoted, terminally, sharp auxiliary runners or brake-shoes 30, to the free ends of which are connected upwardly-extending connecting-rods 3l, pivoted to brake-levers 33, fulcrumed at their extremities 34 in any suitable manner upon the gunwale of the boat. y

XVhen it is desired to reorganize the boat as a sled, the wheel-bracket 5, with its connected parts, including the wheels, rudder, and bearing-boxes described, is unshipped and is replaced by the ice-wheel bracket 35. This bracket consists of rearwardly-extending arms 36, bolted to the stern of the boat, which now becomes the front of the sled, and

carrying at their outer ends a swiveled sleeve or elongated bearing-box 37, through which extends a wheel-shaft 38, provided adjacent to the swiveled sleeve 37 with a beveled gearwheel 39, meshing with a gear-wheel 40, carried by a shaft 41, journaled at its lower end in a journal-bracket 42, mounted upon the sleeve 37, and at its upper end in a cross-bar 43, extending between the two sides of a semicircular steering-frame 44, in the extremities of which the opposite ends of the shaft 38 are journaled. The shaft 41 carries a second bevel gear-wheel immediately under the crossbar 43, which meshes with the beveled gearwheel13, mounted upon the extremity of the shaft 14. The ice-wheels 45 are mounted upon the shaft 3S, between the opposite ends of the sleeve 37 and the ends of the frame 44, and are revoluble thereon in one direction. Each of these wheels is provided upon its inner face with a pawl 46, engaging a ratchet wheel or flange 47, keyed or otherwise secured 'to the shaft 3S. It will thus be seen that when the shaft is rotated in one directionnamely, in that which serves to propel the vehicle-the ice-wheels will be positively connected therewith; but in the event of the shaft being swung by means of the steering mechanism connected to the steering-chains 4S, in turn connected to the steering-frame 44, the ice-wheel, which is drawn toward the boat, will, when the tendency is to rotate it in the reverse direction, become disengaged from the shaft and will have independent movement. It will be observed that the pivotal point, serving as the axis of rotation when the steering-frame is thrown around to change the direction of the shaft and wheels, will be in line with the axis of the shaft 41, which, it will be observed, is located directly over the center of the sleeve 37. This pawland-ratchet connection of the ice-wheels with the shaft will also permit the wheels to rotate at different speeds when the shaft is held at an angle with respect to the longitudinal line of the sled for the purpose of making a more or less sharp turn. Ice-wheels of any desired form may be employed; but I prefer to provide compoundly curved or spiraled transverse ribs or projections 49 across their peripheries, this peculiar form serving to bring each portion of the rib in a perpendicular planewhen i-t contacts with the surface of the ice. These ribs are preferably sharpened, and may be toothed in order to insure a positive frictional contact with the surface over which my convertible vehicle is propelled. The purpose of the auxiliary runners or brakeshoes will be apparent in this connection,since it will be observed that a sudden change of direction of travel of the sleigh will tend to cause it to slide laterally over the smooth surface of the ice. In order to prevent this, the

levers 33 are depressed, as by placing the foot thereon, which will throw the brake-shoes into contact with the ice with more or less pressure, and as they are designed to be much IOO IIO

sharper than would be practicable to have the runners proper they will cut into the ice and will prevent lateral movement or sliding. It will also be apparent that by depressing these shoes a braking action will result, which-will serve to prevent the sleigh attaining a dangerous speed, and that by a variation of pressure upon one shoe or the other they may be made to assist in steering.

From the foregoing it will be observed that I have produced a simple, ingenious, and efiicient combined or convertible self-propelled boat and sled by means of which travel in frozen countries may be facilitated and which embodies novel mechanism for propelling, steering, and otherwise controlling its movement; but while I have ,illustrated and described what appearsto be the preferable embodiment of my invention I do not desire to limit myself to the structural details defined, as it is obvious that they may be greatly varied, changed, or modified without departing from the scope of the protection prayed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new isl. The combination with a hull andpropelling mechanism, of longitudinally-adjustable runners carried by the hull, substantially as specified.

2.' The combination with a hull provided with longitudinallyadjustable runners, of propelling-wheels carried in a swiveled frame, and means for shifting the position of the frame, Substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a hull and runners, of pivoted brake-shoes extending from one end of said runners, and means for actuting said brake-shoes, substantially as speci- 4. The combination with a hull provided with runners, of propelling-wheels, wheel-actuating mechanism, and mechanism for automatically throwing Vthe wheels into or out of engagement with the wheel-actuating mechanism, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with fa hull provided with runners, of a swiveled frame, propelling-wheels mounted in the frame, Wheel-actuating mechanism, and mechanism for automatically throwing the wheels into or out of engagement with the wheel-actuating mechanism, substantially as specified.

6. The combination with a hull provided with runners, of a swiveled frame extending from one end of the hull, a wheel-shaft, wheels mounted upon said wheel-shaft, and designed to be automatically connected thereto or disconnected therefrom, a power-shaft, and gearing intermediate of the power-shaft and wheel-shaft, substantially as specified.

7. The combination with a hull, of a swiveled frame extending beyond one end thereof,

a wheel-shaft mounted in said frame, wheels j 8. The combination with a hull provided with runners, of a swiveled frame, a wheelshaft carried by said frame, a power-shaft operatively connected with the wheel-shaft and power-shaft actuating mechanism, and wheels independently mounted upon the wheel-shaft and designed to be independently automatically connected thereto or disconnected therefrom, substantially as specified.

9. The combination with a hull, of crossbeams extending transversely above and below the hull, means for adj ustably clamping said beams, and runners extending between the opposite ends of the lower cross-beams, substantially as specified.

10. The combination with a hull, of transverse beams located above and below the hull, tie-rods connecting the contiguous ends of said beams, and runners carried by the lower beams, substantially as specified.

1l. Theoombination with a hull, of longitudinally-adjustable runners carried thereby and curved and sharpened brake-shoes, or

auxiliary runners, terminally pivoted to the rear ends of the runners, and brake-levers operatively connected to the free ends of the brake-shoes or auxiliary runners, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM A. KIRBY.

Witnesses:

LoUIs G. J ULIHN, WM. L. FORD.

IOO 

